Pipe sealing system

Abstract

A sealing system is used for sealing entry ports of piping into the sidewalls of structures. The system is designed to receive a length of insulated piping and seals the piping against liquid intrusion. The system can also compensate, where necessary, for the expansion and contraction which occurs as these systems thermally expand in the presence of high temperature fluids being conveyed or due to other forces. The system uses a flexible bellows to couple the insulated piping to a liner sleeve located in a porthole opening of the structure. The bellows arrangement not only seals against liquid intrusion, but also compensates for any relative movement of the inner fluid conveying pipes with respect to the liner sleeve of the structure. A flexible strut system may also be used within the interior of the structure to join pipe ends and further compensate for forces of expansion and contraction.

1 . A sealing system for use with a structure having at least one porthole opening defined between opposing wall openings for receiving piping extending from a point exterior of the structure to an interior space thereof, the sealing system comprising: 
 a liner sleeve located within and lining the porthole opening of the structure, the liner sleeve comprising a generally cylindrical body having opposing end regions which initially extend outwardly slightly from the opposing wall openings of the porthole;    a length of insulated and jacketed piping passing through the liner sleeve from outside the structure to the interior space thereof, the length of piping comprising an inner steel carrier pipe, an envelope of insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer polyolefin protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the piping forming section of a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;    a flexible tubular bellows surrounding and joining one point of the outer polyolefin protective jacket of the length of insulated and jacketed piping to a second point on a selected end region of the liner sleeve which extends from the wall opening of the structure to the exterior thereof, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted to accommodate movement of the insulated and jacketed piping.    
   
   
       2 . A sealing and expansion system for use with a concrete manhole having at least one porthole opening defined between opposing wall openings for receiving piping extending from a point exterior of the manhole to an interior space thereof, the sealing and expansion system comprising: 
 a liner sleeve formed of a synthetic polyolefin located within and lining the porthole opening of the manhole, the liner sleeve comprising a generally cylindrical body having opposing end regions which initially extend outwardly slightly from the opposing wall openings of the porthole;    a length of insulated and jacketed piping passing through the liner sleeve from outside the manhole to the interior space thereof, the length of piping comprising an inner steel carrier pipe, an envelope of high temperature foamed insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer polyolefin protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the piping forming section of a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;    a flexible tubular bellows surrounding and joining one point of the outer polyolefin protective jacket of the length of insulated and jacketed piping to a second point on a selected end region of the liner sleeve which extends from the wall opening of the manhole to the exterior thereof, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted to accommodate movement of the insulated and jacketed piping.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the foam insulation is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foams and polyisocyanurate foam.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the protective jackets are formed from polyethylene.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the tubular bellows is electrofused at either of opposite extents thereof to the respective protective jacket and liner sleeve.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the lengths of insulated piping being joined are part of a pipeline conveying steam, hot water or other hot fluids at a temperature in the range of above about 200° F.  
   
   
       7 . A sealing and expansion system for use with a concrete manhole having at least one porthole opening defined between opposing wall openings for receiving piping extending from a point exterior of the manhole to an interior space thereof, the sealing and expansion system comprising: 
 a liner sleeve formed of a synthetic polyolefin located within and lining the porthole opening of the manhole, the liner sleeve comprising a generally cylindrical body having opposing end regions which initially extend outwardly slightly from the opposing wall openings of the porthole;    a length of insulated and jacketed piping passing through the liner sleeve from outside the manhole to the interior space thereof, the length of piping comprising an inner steel carrier pipe, an envelope of high temperature foamed insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer polyolefin protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the piping forming section of a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;    a flexible tubular bellows surrounding and joining one point of the outer polyolefin protective jacket of the length of insulated and jacketed piping to a second point on a selected end region of the liner sleeve which extends from the wall opening of the manhole to the exterior thereof, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted to accommodate movement of the insulated and jacketed piping;    wherein the length of insulated and jacketed piping which passes into the interior space of the manhole terminates in a pipe end, and wherein the pipe end is connected to a pipe end of an additional length of piping means of a flexible strut joint which absorbs expansion and contraction forces in the manhole.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the foam insulation is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foams and polyisocyanurate foam.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the protective jackets are formed from polyethylene.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the tubular bellows is electrofused at either of opposite extents thereof to the respective protective jacket and liner sleeve.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible strut joint is a ball and socket construction which is capable of resisting tensile and compressive loads while allowing lateral, angular and rotational movement of the respective lengths of piping.  
   
   
       12 . A method of forming a sealed connection at a concrete manhole having at least one porthole opening defined between opposing wall openings for receiving piping extending from a point exterior of the manhole to an interior space thereof, the method comprising the steps of: 
 locating a liner sleeve formed of a synthetic polyolefin within and lining the porthole opening of the manhole, the liner sleeve comprising a generally cylindrical body having opposing end regions which initially extend outwardly slightly from the opposing wall openings of the porthole;    passing a length of insulated and jacketed piping through the liner sleeve from outside the manhole to the interior space thereof, the length of piping comprising an inner steel carrier pipe, an envelope of high temperature foamed insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer polyolefin protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the piping forming section of a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;    providing a flexible tubular bellows surrounding and joining one point of the outer polyolefin protective jacket of the length of insulated and jacketed piping to a second point on a selected end region of the liner sleeve which extends from the wall opening of the manhole to the exterior thereof, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted to accommodate movement of the insulated and jacketed piping; and    wherein the length of insulated and jacketed piping which passes into the interior space of the manhole terminates in a pipe end, and wherein the pipe end is connected to a pipe end of an additional length of piping means of a flexible strut joint which absorbs expansion and contraction forces in the manhole.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the foam insulation which is used to surround the inner pipes is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foam and polyisocyanurate foam.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the protective jackets are formed of HDPE.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tubular bellows is electrofused at either of opposite extents thereof to the respective protective jacket and liner sleeve.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lengths of insulated piping being joined are part of a pipeline conveying steam at a temperature of 400 degrees F. or greater.